MSG: Like a Setting Sun
by Deathzealot
Summary: A tale about a Federation Pilot who becomes a Newtype but then falls... A story that I wrote for my School, Hope you like it!


Mobile Suit Gundam: Like a Setting Sun  
  
The year is 0079 of the Universal Century and mankind now occupies large orbital space colonies. The cluster of colonies the furthest away from Earth Side Three have declared themselves the Principality of Zeon and have launched a war of independence against the Earth Federation. The two factions fight in a bitter struggle that is called the One Year War. With the invention of the Minovsky Particle the age of long-range warfare has ended and the age of short-range warfare is now begun. The Zeon have created the answer to this with new weapons called Mobile Suits or MS for short. While the Earth Federation lags behind in the effort to create Mobile Suits of there own. They are quickly catching up with the development of the "V" Project. The project is the development of the Federation's own Mobile Suits the Gundam, Guncannon, and Guntank. Another new thing in the War is the rise of beings called Newtypes humans who could amazing predict their opponent's moves and are faster then normal humans. The Federation's Mobile Suit Gundam is piloted by a developing Newtype along with some members of the crew of the White Base the Gundam's carrier. As the wars drags on the pilot's abilities grow. Also the war is good for development of other Newtypes like Char Aznable the Gundam Pilots worst enemy, Lalah Sune, and many others. One is John Alexander a Federation pilot who pilots a lowly outclassed Ball Mobile Pod, which is the Federation's early, answers to the Zeon Zaku II Mobile Suit. As the war comes to its collusion follow John as he discovers his Newtype powers and how he falls.  
  
* * *  
  
In the dark reaches of space a battle goes on around a large asteroid like structure that is named A Baoa Qu. Drifting through space are many, many hulks of what looks like large mechanical men. Other larger hulks drifted as well, these were once proud and mighty warships now they were nothing but blackened, scarred pieces of debris. One of the hulks a small ball shaped unit was different then its dead counterparts. For its pilot was still alive and he was slowly dieing as the coldness of space assaulted him even through his thin but affect space suit. As he started to doze off he started to remember how he got into this mess in the first place.  
  
* * * The Columbus Carrier Liberty In orbit around Luna II December 10, 0079 UC  
  
Ensign John Alexander of the Federal Space Forces grunted in surprise as a booted foot kicked him of his warm bunk into the Zero-Gee environment of the ship. He opened one sleep-laden eyelid to see a large figure floating above his bunk with one leg outstretched. When his sleepy brain finally caught up he realized that it was Lieutenant Jim O'Brien his immediate senior officer and that is when the rest of his body caught up. The sleepy eyes and bag under his eyes immediately evaporated, as he stood at attention in which look pretty bad in Zero-Gee.  
  
"Sir!" John said with a salute and a grimace knowing that he was going to get a lashing from him. The big and burly Lieutenant was mean and treated his men like shit. But not around the commander of the Liberty's GMs and Balls Captain Shin Daisuke or would be kicked out of the military Who was an old kind man who once had been a tank Platoon commander who saw all his men die thanks to a team of Zeon Zaku II. He was one of the few Federation Mobile Suit pilots that were once tank crewmen. He now commanded the E.F.S.F 23rd Mobile Company and Lieutenant O'Brien commanded on of his Squadrons. John commanded one of the Teams in the squadrons.  
  
"Ensign Alexander get your team suited, the fleet is moving out and the Squadron is going out on patrol." Jim barked out as he left John's quarters. But he stopped in the doorway looking back at John who was getting out his Normal Suit.  
  
"By the way Zeek you better do good or you are going to be drummed out of the service." Jim said with a snarl. John stopped when he heard it. For "Zeek" was the Federation's nickname for the Zeon. Since John was from Side Three he could be called a Zeon. But little did Jim or any other officer knew that John was not just your average Zeon civilian for his family was one of the few high-class nobles in the Zeon Court. John hoped that no one would find out that he was or he would either be charged or thrown in Jail. Ever since he fled Side Three when he got in an argument with his father when the war was starting up that it was wrong to go to war with the Federation when the Federation had already realized that the Principality was a serapent nation. He had been teased, beaten, and spit at ever since he joined the Federal Forces. He knew that he was fighting against his own people but this was the only he thought to end the war. John came back to reality when his wingmate came into the room. He was one of the few friends he had.  
  
"The Team's ready boss." Chief Petty Officer Kyle Anderson said with a grin. But the grin faded when he saw John's expression.  
  
"What's the matter John?" Kyle asked curios as he entered fully into the room letting the door close with a hiss.  
  
"Bully O'Brien called me a Zeek, I swear if he says that again I am going to seriously hurt him." Ryan growled out. Anger surged through Kyle's face since he too was a former Zeon. Like John no one knew who he really was. He was John's bodyguard along with a good friend. Kyle was only three years older then John but he was also once part of the Zeon Military. But he quit when John's father asked him to become his childhood friend's bodyguard. So unlike John he knew how to pilot a Mobile Suit. Kyle then softened and sighed as he patted John on the back.  
  
"It's alright John but remember that we are only the rank and file. We can't just go up to him and beat him. We would be thrown out." Kyle sighed as he said it. John nodded and started to count to ten.  
  
"Alright Kyle get going I need to get my Normal Suit on." John said as he picked up the dropped garment in question. Kyle nodded and left out the door.  
  
* * * Liberty's Mobile Suit Deck Five Minutes Later  
  
John walked into the Mobile Suit Deck to see the techs getting ready to launch the MS teams. The GM's were in the trays that were tilted back a bit like a examine table. On the other side of the MS Deck was a large rack filled with Balls. Along one of the rows was his Teams Balls sitting in neat and orderly row. Standing along the catwalk leading to the Balls was his team waited for him. John nodded and kicked off as he floated up to the catwalk. He grabbed the bar and swung onto the Catwalk that had normal gravity. He nodded the other five members of his team and shook his head at Kyle who was grinning. Unlike MS Teams, which was 3-4 Mobile Suits, the Ball Teams had 7-8 Balls. His team numbered only seven. What made his team different then others were the Balls themselves. There were four normal RB- 79 Balls, two of the rare RB-79K Class which were the Heavy Support Model of the ball with its two canons and large grapplers arms, finally John's own Ball which was a munch more rare RB-79F Ball Support Type. His ball had a pair of Beam Canons were the Normal's canon was and the arms ended in a pair of Vulcan's for close combat, along with a which like the RB-79K.  
  
"Alright people mount up and lets get these crates moving." John ordered with a smile as he climbed down the ladder onto his Ball. The others nodded not saying a word as they too either hoped down or climbed down to their Balls. John opened the hatch and slipped inside the tight cockpit. He then quickly snapped on the harness and settled into the command couch. He reached up and started the power up sequence for his Ball. He waited the lights on his status board turned from yellow to green signaling that all systems were on and ready. His HUD came on followed by secondary screens, finally his main view screen came alive showing the MS Bay around him. He then keyed his COMM just in time for Kyle taking status reports from the rest of the team as they came on line. Since John was slow powering up his Ball every single time.  
  
"Alright Chief Anderson get them ready to move out." John ordered as he pulled the handle that disconnected him from the rack. He quickly switched over to the Flight Control Channel on his COMM.  
  
"This is Omega Delta Lead ready to launch Control." John reported saying the squadrons codename followed by his own team's codename. The other three Squadron codenames were Sigma, Solo, and lastly the command squad Nu. Sigma, Solo, and Omega squads were a mix between Balls and GMs while Nu squad was all GMs.  
  
"Roger that Omega Delta Lead stand-by." Came the reply with some static from the grille of the speaker in his helmet. John nodded and started to look around the bay to see the GMs getting up from the trays and started to line up to prepare to depart. But there were more then Omega's GMs since the Captains GM Command Space Type step to the front of the line. John frowned and keyed his COMM again.  
  
"Control is the entire Company launching? I was told that only Omega Squadron would be launched." John asked confused as the GMs started jump off the carrier by the pairs. Meanwhile the Balls started to jump off on the other side of the ball from second door of the liberty. The speaker crackled again with static.  
  
"Negative, since we are on Alert One all GMs and Balls are to launch and form a perimeter around the fleet." Control answered a static filled reply. John nodded and flipped over to the COMM channel for the team.  
  
"Alright lets join up with the queue and jump by pairs. Once you are out there assuming defense position C." John ordered and heard replies from the other six members of his team. John and brought his Ball behind the last pair of his Balls waiting for every Ball to launch before he did. Once it got around for his turn he immediately engaged his engine to the max blasting away from the Liberty. He switched the rear camera to see the Liberty pulling away from the fleet with a trio of Salamis Cruisers following it. The cruisers had GMs and Balls lashed to their decks. He then quickly switched over to the main camera before he ran into any other Ball. He flipped on the COMM and listened to the teams channel as they reported when they reached their assigned point. He to joined the formation right in front of the two –K Models.  
  
* * *  
  
Twenty-Five Minutes later...  
  
John sighed as he fidgeted for the hundredth time. He decided to entertain himself by looking around at the Liberty's Advance fleet. The GMs had long ago gone on extended patrol patterns. That left only a single GM team behind docked with the Liberty with two GMs manned at one time. If this was the old American Navy it would be called stat five. Meanwhile the Balls being Fleet support units were spread around the fleet in teams. The twenty- three balls off the Liberty along with the three off one the Salamis were all out staying close to the fleet. Suddenly his COMM came alive as he finished his scan around the fleet.  
  
"Lead, Five I got something at 3 O'clock Angels High!" One of his pilots cried out. John look to his right but only saw the white bulkhead at his side. He cursed and switched his view over to the right camera. He then angled it up to see a distant light meaning a ship was nearby. He frowned and engaged the telescopic lens on his camera. What he saw shocked him, since it was a Zeon Civilian Transport. It was about large as a Zeon Musai Cruisers, in fact it look very munch like one. But it had not command tower and no large turrets. He easily knew what it was because he used to ride them around when he was a kid. He keyed his COMM as he took a final glance at the transport before switching over to the main camera.  
  
"Good eye Five! Chief Andrews stand by for more orders." He said before switching over to the command channel.  
  
"Command this Delta Lead we have a Civilian Transport at Sector 21-3 permission to check it out?" He asked soon as the static cleared signaling that the line is clear.  
  
"Roger that Delta, you may proceed I will launch Hotel Squad to follow you." The Flight Control Officer on the Liberty answered meaning the GM squad still on the ship. John nodded and started to power up his beam canons.  
  
"Roger that, moving out." He said before switching over to his teams COMM channel.  
  
"All right people lets move out. We are going to instigate the Transport. So stay sharp and report anything wrong," John ordered his team as they started to head for the transport. Within a few moments they transport grew in size in his veiwport and he realized that it wasn't just your average Civilian Transport it was a Zeon Private Yacht made for high officials in the Zeon government and their families. That meant it had better defenses and better armor. It also had a very small number of two Mobile Suits. This one was heavily damaged told by the large holes in its Engine. Along with three dead Mobile Suits drifting near it. Suddenly a gasp came from the COMM, as the team got closer to it.  
  
"Sir can you go to private?" A voice that he barely knew as Kyle asked.  
  
"Roger switching to private Chief Andrews." He said and clicked over to a private COMM frequency that he shared with Kyle.  
  
"What's up Kyle?" He asked when heard the click of someone switching COMM frequencies.  
  
"John you don't know that ship or that Zaku I drifting right their." Kyle said with a tone that said that was a statement not a question. John frowned and took another good look at the ship. It was not under power because it was slowly rotating. As it did a large emblem was shown as he light reflected off of it. That froze him in his seat for it was his family's Emblem.  
  
"No it can't be..." He said but broke off as the Sauk I came into the light showing a Custom Paint job. He then knew that it was his Father's private Zaku. He then started to weep as when he realized that his family was officially died now. Suddenly he was pulled from his sadness when all of a sudden two of his Balls blew up into nice neat balls of fire and metal. John's eyes widened in surprise as a third Ball disappeared into an explosion. Suddenly his training kicked in and he started to dodge the fire coming for him. He started to look for a target but he couldn't see any other Mobile Suits or Fighters. Suddenly at the back of his mind told him to dodge right. Not even pausing John threw the Ball into a roll to the right. A beam sliced the area were he once was. He quickly engaged his thrusters to turn the small Pod on it axel to see a bone white Mobile Suit. It was an ace but not one he knew what it was immediately. It then dawned on him when he saw an emblem emblazed on the skirt armor of the MS. It was the Frozen Ghost a new Ace that just appeared and was quickly pounding fear into Federation Pilots. He heard a lot of Federation Pilots that survived the Battle for California Base mention him. He also didn't know what the Mobile Suit he was piloting but he knew that it was the beam rifle equipped Mobile Suit that the Federal Forces had been hearing about.  
  
"Yeah Feddie like my Gelgoog well it is time for a little payback." A voice taunted over an open COMM channel. John blinked in surprise when he heard it.  
  
"Okay, whatever Zeek. What happened to the transport!?" John asked over the same COMM channel. A laugh answered his question a few moments later.  
  
"Why do you care Fed, they were only traitors to the Zeon. They wanted to defect and my squad was dispatch to take them out." The other man answered but it fell on deaf ears as John eyes widened in shock. But it changed to raw anger when he realized that his family died thanks to this man.  
  
"You killed my family," He said softly surprising him self with it. He then hit the COMM button turning it off. He knew that anybody listening into the COMM channel would have heard him. He sighed since he confused how calm he was. He was still angry but he was strangely calm throughout this. His sensors squawked as the Gelgoog got a target lock on him. John then suddenly knew what the enemy was going to do in the back of his mind like if a switch turned it on. This new feeling flooded into his senses and made him flick his flight stick one-way barley dodging an attack by the Gelgoog. He sighed as he could sense eight Rick-Dom Mobile Suits out there. He could sense the remaining two members of his team dodging and trying to stay alive. The Frozen Ghost was confused as he try to get a lock on him, John didn't let him as he threw the Ball through moves that John had never done or seen a Ball do. John then realized that he was suddenly right in front of the Gelgoog. This time John smiled and pulled the trigger for his canons blowing a large neat hole right through the center of the enemy MS. That was when the MS's fuel cells blew taking the rest of MS with it. John then burned hard for the rest of his Team. The Rick-Doms saw him turned their attention from his besieged friends to him. His canons answered them taking out three of them within a minute. He kept coming towards his friends. He sighed with relief when he felt that one of them was Kyle. Suddenly he felt an enemy behind him, he started to turn but he knew that he would never get the enemy in time. Suddenly tracer's lit space as Hotel Team scream in finishing off four of the Rick-Doms.  
  
"Were is the other one?" He asked himself but then he felt him trying to sneak away but his Beam Canons finished him off. He started to pant as it caught up with him. John realized that the COMM button was flashing announcing that some one was trying to get hold of him. He flipped it on and voices assaulted his hearing.  
  
"John, John you there come in!" Kyle was bawling into the channel.  
  
"This is Hotel One to Delta One come in you there." The leader of the GMs calmly said into the COMM channel.  
  
"This is Delta One I'm alright, Petty Officer Jackson pull Petty Officer Lou's Ball and check it for damages. Chief Andrews calm down and follow me to check for survivors. Hotel One I will like it if you call for some rescue craft." He snapped orders as they came to him. He knew that Lou's Ball one of the regular RB-79 Balls on his team was almost intact. He was remarkable alive since Ball pilots usually die with their metal mounts. He also knew that at least a few people were alive aboard the drifting hulk and intended to fine out who it they were.  
  
"I AM NOT TAKING AN ORDER FROM A ZEEK!" A yell came over the COMM channel. That snapped John's head to look at Jackson's Model K Ball. He then remembered his open COMM message and flinched  
  
"Easy Jackson he is no longer a Zeon he left Side Three because he knew that it wasn't the same nation that his father fought for in the revlation. If you care to notice he wasted three Rick-Doms off our tail. I think you owe him an apogly!" Kyle exploded before any one can say anything. John heard total silence over the channel.  
  
"Right lets get going people. There could be people alive on that transport. Lets move it!" He ordered breaking the silence and sighed with relief when Jackson held his tongue. Kyle and John moved towards the hulk as Jackson launches his tow cable towards Lou's Ball.  
  
* * *  
  
The Private Yacht Phoenix  
  
John and Kyle clad in their Normal suits with the booster packs on their backs were searching the dead ship in grim silence as they saw dead bodies floating in Zero-Gee. None of them had the time to get on Normal Suits before the ship was destroyed. John and Kyle then parted ways, Kyle going to docking bay while John went on to search for suvoiors.  
  
John rounded a corner and gasped as memories flash through his head about when he was last here. He gulped and counted on, he drifted as more memory flashes through his mind, he soon found himself in front of his old quarters his home away from home. He gulped again as old ghosts of memories attack his mind again and he was going to go on when he heard weebing comeing from the room. Confused John pryed open the door and gasped in surpise to see two figures in civilan Normal Suits in the room. One of them hearing him gasp brought a handgun to bear on him but it was shakeing intacting that the person was scared.  
  
"Hold it right there!" The figure said with fear in her voice. John's eyes widened in surpise when he heard it. He then sank to his knees in shock.  
  
"Megan?" He asked intacting his younger sister. She gasped confirming his suspion that it was his sister.  
  
"John?" She asked in a whisper that he barely heard.  
  
"Yes, lets get you out of here." He stated as the ship shook.  
  
"What about Julia?" She asked pointing at the other figure. John gasped in surpise again. For Julia Williams was another childhood friend of his, but she was a lot closer to John then Kyle was. If he hadn't been thrown out he would have married her. That is how close he was to her.  
  
"Right lets get both of you out of here." He said having recovered from his shock picked Julia up and ran out of the room with Megan following close behind. He got his COMM out as he ran.  
  
"Kyle are those Rescue boats here yet." He asked soon as they excange plesantrlys.  
  
"Yes, they picked up four lifesigns on their pass." Kyle said with hope in his voice as John rounded the corner to the docking bay.  
  
"Right I found two of them Kyle and I am in front of the docking bay now." He said as he rushed into the docking bay. He saw Kyle and two others with medpacks in their hands were already running to him. He handed over Julia to one of the medics and told Megan to go with the other. Kyle and John sat watchng other peresonel starting to search for the other survivors.  
  
* * * Liberty Medical Bay 2 Days Later  
  
Julia Williams moaned in pain as she opened her eyes to see a figure leaning over her. Her vision was very blurry so she couldn't know who it was.  
  
"Were am I?" He manage to ask with a croak. The figure waved his hand, at least she thought it was a guy.  
  
"How many fingers can you see?" He asked in a very famailar voice.  
  
"I don't know it's all blurry I can't see anything but you even then you are really blurry." She said with a frown as she heard him sigh.  
  
"The doctor was worried that you would lose your vision, but it appears that you some hope that it will heal. As for were you are, you are aboard the E.F.S.S Liberty a Colomubus Carrier." The man told her again with a very familiar voice. She blinked in surpise at the ship dension.  
  
"Right, now my final question who the hell are you?" She asked not able to keep it in any longer. She then heard laughing some of it was comeing from the man the rest of it came from her right.  
  
"Julia you don't know that voice!" A tiny voice said with a smile in its words. Julia eyes widened in surpise when she heard it.  
  
"I guess she doesn't know, Julia I am Ensign John Alexander and this man at my side is Chief Petty Officer Kyle Anderson." The man said with a smile in his words. Julia gasped is surpise as her eyes finally focaused and she saw the man that she loves sitting next to her.  
  
* * * A week Later....  
  
John Alexander was a Newtype he knew that now and as Operation Star One went on with the Battle for Solomon and the Battle of Granada were a blur. The now Lieutenant Alexander having been promoted to command Omega Sqaudron after the death of the Lieutenant O'Brien was no longer a Zeek. But a very well respected pilot and was looked up to by the younger pilots. Now the last battle of Operation Star One.  
  
"Darn it!" John cused as another one of his Balls were destroyed. He kept it comeing though. Suddenly he felt two other Newtypes somewhere. One he knew as Ensign Amuro Ray the Gundam Pilot. The other made his eyes narrow in hate for it was Captain Char Azanble, the Red Comet. He moved to support Amuro as he tried to make away for the other units into the fortesse itself. But John was to clouded with anger and never saw one of the Char's Zeong Hand Bits behind. But he did feel it attacking and he managed to dodge but it was no use it impacted.  
  
* * * Present Day  
  
John Alexander floated in an abyss as he died in his Ball. He felt his new wife aboard the Liberty and their unborn daughter. He felt defeated but it quickly vanish being replaced by safstion since he died a good and respected man defending his wife and his friends. John Alexander died December 31, 0079 UC and he would be remembered as a good friend and respected person. 


End file.
